Thomas l



(No Model.) e

T.L.HENLY.

APPARATUS FOR STEEPING FLAX.

Patented June 11, 1889.

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'UNITEDy STATES PATENT FFICE.

THoMAs L. HENLY, on- LONDON, ENGLAND.

APPARATUS FOR STEEPING FLAX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 405,091, dated June 11, 1889.

Application filed January 17, 1888. A Serial No. 261,009. i (No model.) Patented in England October 27, 1885, No. 12,928 in Italy May 7, 1886, XX,19,892; inBelgium May 16, 1886, No. 72,891; in France September 1, 1886, No. 175,746, and in Canada February 1, 1837, No. 25,899.

T0 all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS L. HENLY of London, England, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Steeping Flax, (for which patents have been granted to me in Great Britain October 27, 1885, No. 12,923; in France September 1, 1886, No. 175,746; in Italy'May 7,1886, No. 19,892; in Belgium May 15, 1886, No. 72,891, and in Canada February 1,1887, No. 25,899,) of which the following-is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide improved means and apparatus for heating and maintaining an equable heat in flaxsteeping tanks.

For the purpose of my invention I fit one or more tubes bent, curled, or similarly formed to a tank in which flax is steeped, said tube or tubes being in communication with the liquor in the tank and with a re or other heat-producing medium, acting upon and in` contact with the pipes, in which a constant circulation of the liquor is maintained at an equable heat, the whole of the apparatus being inclosed or protected from atmospheric influence, so as not to interfere with the proper steeping operation of the flax that would in any way interfere with the extraction of the gum and otherimpurities contained in flax.

The annexed drawings show two examples of my arrangement or invention.l

Figure 1 is a transversesectional elevation through the line a, b of Fig. 2, which is itself a transverse section through the furnace only, part of the steeping-vat being shown in elevation. Figs. 3 and et represent sectional views of apparatus of slightly-modilied form, the sections being taken at-right angles to each other.

A is the tank provided with a hinged lid B, which when shut is inclosed by another hinged lid C, fitted above and connected to the frame-work D, in which the tank A isset, to prevent the atmosphere from having` access to the tank while the steeping operation is in progress, the tank A being previously charged with bundles of flax or equivalent straw. By this arrangement the tank is jacketed; The

one or more portions of the tank A has a pipe E, with a return F leading into the tank, the bend G, Figs. 1 and 2, or the curl, Figs. 3 and et, being Within the fire portion of a slow-com bustion stove for maintaining a constant circulation of liquor within the tank, due to the heat imparted to the pipe or pipes. By wholly inclosing the above-mentioned pipe from contact with atmospheric air an even temperature is maintained,which is essential to the proper steeping of the iiax. 1 prefer to use a slowcombustion stove of the form shown in the drawings, the vapor from the fuel being drawn off by the uptake or chimney H just above or about level witlnthe pipe E F G, so that the heat is kept uniform for any length of time, this being essential for a complete and thorough steeping operation to the flax.

It will be seen that the pipe GEF is wholly inclosed and nowhere exposed to atmospheric air.

By constructing the uptake or chimney as above described the draft is confined to a level approximate to that of the pipe, and a slow combustion is assured from the fact that the fire is not drawn entirely through the fuel.

The neck 1 of the furnace is covered by a cap J, and the consumption below being regulated either by t-he size of the ash-pit K or by valves iitted to the door L.

Figs. 2 and 1 show the tank in dotted lines of great length as compared to its breadth and depth, (see Figs 1 and 3,) andin generalpractice one fire and one pipe will be sufficient to maintain an equal temperature in the liquor contained in the said tank, this being essentialfor the perfect steeping operation of flax.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with a jacketed tank for containing iiax and liquor for steeping the same, of a stove or likeheating apparatus, a pipe opening at both ends into the tank and having a portion arranged in the stove, said pipe being wholly inclosed and nowhere exposed to atmospheric air, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, wit-h a jacketed tank bottom of the tank is slightly inclined, and 5o for containing {iax and liquor for steeping wiLh the portion of said pipe within the stove 1o the saine, of a stove or like heating apparatus, or like apparatus, substantially as specied. a pipe opening at both ends into the tank and Y C f i, r having a portion arranged in the stove, Said luOMAS L' HLNLX 5 pipe being wholly inoiosed and nowhere ex- VitnesseS:

posed to atmospheric air, and said stove orV AMBROSE FISK, like apparatus being provided with a fine for Nofmg/S Clerk, 5 W afterloo Place, S. W conveying away the prodneis of Combustion, TOBIAS GAINSFORD RIDGWAY,

having an opening approximately 0n a levelv 5 VVa/'erloo Place, London, lVo'hmy Publ/ic. 

